First three F-16V fighter jets head to Bahrain
Bahrain has been an important partner for the US and is also the home of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
Bahrain, long an operator of F-16s within the Gulf Cooperation Council, will become the first customer to adopt the newest and most advanced configuration of the renowned Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter.
The first three Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 (also known as F-16V) fighter jets have departed the manufacturer’s South Carolina facility for delivery to Bahrain.
The country was the first F-16 operator in the Gulf Cooperation Council beginning in the early 1990s and is the first customer to procure what Lockheed Martin called the “newest and most advanced F-16 production configuration”. Bahrain signed a US$1.2 billion contract in 2017 for the procurement of 16 new F-16 Viper Block 70 aircraft.
Lockheed said it has so far produced five of the fighters, with an additional 11 in various stages of production and testing.
“With the introduction of the F-16 Block 70, we are witnessing a significant leap in fighter capabilities,” said OJ Sanchez, VP and GM of the integrated fighter group at Lockheed Martin. “The integration of this proven platform will allow the Royal Bahraini Air Force to safeguard its skies effectively and partner with allies worldwide.”
The Block 70/72 currently has a planned backlog of 133 jets, but Lockheed Martin told Shephard last month that it has been calculating with these numbers and was executing orders per plan.
Bahrain has been an important partner for the US and has been home of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters. It currently operates 20 F-16 Block 40 jets. The latest configuration of the fourth-generation fighter will considerably increase the country’s air power.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Baykar’s Akinci: Local participation and export freedom drive $4.63 billion success story]()
Baykar’s Akinci: Local participation and export freedom drive $4.63 billion success story
The success of the Akinci drone stems from Turkey’s push for domestically produced components – which has led to fewer export restrictions – and from manufacturer Baykar’s willingness to coproduce the drone with customers’ domestic industries.
-
![Lithuania air focus: Majority of $235.98 million drone investment to be spent before 2030]()
Lithuania air focus: Majority of $235.98 million drone investment to be spent before 2030
Lithuania has committed significant funding towards expanding its UAV capabilities, with more than $54 million already spent and substantial additional investment planned through to 2029. Alongside domestic procurement, the country has also acquired various drones to support Ukraine.
-
![“A dominant force”: empowering Europe’s airborne ISR in a new era]()
“A dominant force”: empowering Europe’s airborne ISR in a new era
European militaries face a new security landscape, with the proliferation of drones, theatre ballistic missiles and other threats boosting requirements for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and related systems. For L3Harris, missionised business jets are central to meeting these needs, providing capability and flexibility in a cost-effective package.
-
![Japan’s Terra Drone expands Ukrainian ties to break into global defence market]()
Japan’s Terra Drone expands Ukrainian ties to break into global defence market
Following its investment into WinnyLab, Terra Drone unveiled a new long-range fixed-wing addition to its interceptor drone portfolio as it seeks to bring combat-proven technology back to Japan and expand into global export markets.
